Stirling curler Kayla Gray will skip a rink at a major international competition later this month in Ottawa.

Gray's foursome will compete in the Ottawa Valley Curling Association (OVCA) BrokerLink Junior Superspiel, Oct. 28-30, with 15 other U18 women's teams hailing from China, Switzerland, the U.S. and Canada. Team Gray's opening match is Oct. 28 versus Team USA.

Gray, 17, is joined by rinkmates Morgan Typhair, lead, also 17, of Brighton; and a pair of Perth curlers — second Chelsea Ferrier, 16; and vice Mikayla Gemmill, 17.

Team Gray registered an unblemished 5-and-0 record at the OVCA Superspiel qualifier held recently in Ottawa to punch their ticket to the main event. Prior to that, Team Gray captured top spot at the season-opening Hogline Junior Bonspiel at the Ottawa City View Curling Club.

Coach Kim Yeoman, of the Stirling Curling Club, says Team Gray will be a busy bunch this season, competing on the Ontario Junior Curling Tour. They've also set themselves some lofty goals.

"They want to win the U18 Ontario championship and play in the Junior Nationals in Moncton in April,” said Yeoman.

Getting together to train and compete on a regular basis isn't easy, said Yeoman, but the Gray rink makes it work.

"They curl together in Kingston at the Cataraqui Curling Club in the Thursday night ladies league, since that's the midway point between Perth and Brighton,” said Yeoman. “Since the girls live so far from each other, it's been a challange to get practice time together. But, they've made the commitment and are working hard to achieve their goals. They have very supportive parents who spend many hours driving them to practice and events.

"I consider myself lucky to coach four talented, dedicated athletes.”

NEED TO KNOW: Chinese rinks — U18 women and U18 men — will compete in the OVCA Junior Superspiel for the first time in the 23-year history of the event. Matches will take place in the national capital region at Navy, Carleton Heights, Granite, City View, Ottawa, RCMP and Manotick curling clubs.